


The White Rose Chronicles

by dragonflare137



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-02-22 23:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23435125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonflare137/pseuds/dragonflare137
Summary: Seto Kaiba's life was always filled with unexpected turns, no matter how hard he tried to make sure it didn't. When pieces from his past start to emerge from the shadows, his already chaotic life takes twists that even he couldn't predict. From family lost to time, to love that's stretched across death itself, Seto knew his life would never be the same. Rewrite of "Family Ties" and "The White Rose"
Relationships: Kaiba Seto/Kisara
Kudos: 3





	1. Introduction

Hello Everyone! Before this story begins, I'd like to start off with a bit of an introduction of sorts.

Some of you may know me from the fics that I did way back in the day, but some of you may be new readers to my stories. I expect most of you to be new since it's been ages since I've posted anything on this site, which is exactly why I'm making this introduction!

"The White Rose Chronicles" isn't just any old story. It will be a collection of two stories that I wrote in the past, but I'm rewriting because the old ones were cringy as all get out. The two stories in question are "Family Ties" and "The White Rose," with "Family Ties" being more of a Kaiba family fic and "The White Rose" being a Blueshipping fic.

Because I like having old records to see how much I have improved over time, I'm leaving the old stories up. I never finished "The White Rose", but I did finish "Family Ties." While this will be a rewrite, there will be quite a few changes to the prose and plot to make it an all around better experience. You're free to look at the old fics, but there will only be a few things that I keep the same and many things that I change and make different.

I would like to thank you all in advance for reading, and I hope that you all enjoy what there is to come! I'm really going to enjoy writing fanfics again, and I hope that I can share this experience with all of you.

Dragon out~


	2. Family Ties: Prologue

"But why? We're supposed to stay together no matter what! Are you just going to go back on your promise?

Silence was the only answer the young boy received. His anger only simmered as he stared at the older girl sitting on the bed in front of him. Her fists were clenched together, her lips pressed into a thin line as her eyes fell to the ground.

"I know, but…"

"You know but you're still going to abandon us?" Shaking his head, the younger boy stomped over the girl and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "What kind of sister are you?"

A fire ignited in the girl's eyes as she grabbed her brother's hand and ripped it away from her. "You have no business touching me like that kid. And don't talk to me like that either. I know what I'm doing, and it's the best for all of us."

"Best for us? So you think leaving is the best action?"

"Yes, I do." Standing to her feet, she brushed the boy away from her as she said, "Do you know how hard it would be for all of us to be adopted together? No family is going to want three new kids, let alone one of them being a teenager. Without me around, you two will have a better chance of sticking together."  
"That's the talk of someone who's quit," the boy spat. "If you just had faith in me, you'd trust that I'd be able to get us together."

"What can a kid like you do?"

The boy's frown got deeper as he clenched his fists against his side. He glared at his sister and stomped towards the door. "I can do more than you ever could. Just you wait and see. You'll regret ever leaving us behind."

"I don't doubt that you're smart, but this isn't about smarts. Why can't you just let me go? You don't just have me. You can rely on other people too, you know."

"I don't need anybody else. The only people I need in my life are my family, but you obviously don't want to be with us." Without waiting for a response, the boy walked out of the small room and slammed the door behind him.

The anger that was inside rushed out of her body, and exhaustion replaced it. Letting out a sigh, the girl sat down on the bed once again, and hung her head against her chest. She never wanted to argue, she wished it could have gone better, but with him, it rarely went better.

Looking down at the packed suitcase resting at her feet, the girl wondered if what she was doing was really the right choice. Should she stay? No. She had to go. It was the only option. She couldn't lose her resolve now, not when it was already too late. The only thing that could be done was to move forward, and look to the future. If only her brother could see it that way.

A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts, and with exhaustion dripping from her words, she said, "Come in."

The door slid open slowly, and a small familiar face popped through the crevice. A small smile graced the girl's face when she saw her youngest brother push into the room, but that smile soon fell when she saw him burst into tears.

The tiny boy ran over to her, and she opened her arms so he could jump into them. Wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug, she patted his back and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Hey, there's no need to cry. Everything will be okay," she cooed as she tried her best to comfort the crying child.

"Big brother says you're abandoning us. You're not abandoning us right?" he mumbled through his tears. "Please don't go, I want you to stay."

"I'm not abandoning you, I'm just going away for now."

"But why?"

"I don't think you'll be able to understand my decision right now, but in the future you will," she answered. "Because we will see each other again in the future. When you two are adopted together, I'll come and find you."

"But how will you know where to look?" The little boy looked up at her with big eyes, tears still streaking down his cheek. However, the sadness had melted away into curiosity.

"Big sister's intuition," she said playfully as she ruffled the boy's already messy hair. "You just need to have faith that things will work out in the end, and that we will be together again. I know I do. I'll do everything in my power to find you two again, so we can be by each other's side like we are meant to."

"I'll try." The boy hung his head as he whispered, "But I don't think Big Brother has faith."

"I know…" Leaning her chin on the boy's head, the girl sighed as she closed her eyes. "I know how much this has hurt him, but there is nothing that can be done now. When we see each other again, all I can hope is that he will have it in his heart to forgive me…"


	3. Family Ties: Chapter One

The blue sky that reigned over Domino City that evening watched over the denizens below, its cloudless gaze taking in every bit of movement that went through the bustling metropolis. From the small children that played in the green parks, to the adults going to and from their places of work.

It even watched a group of teenagers as they ran past other people in an effort to get to their destination quickly. It was a dirty blonde and a brown-haired boy that led the charge, while the other two with them lagged behind.

"Slow down, you two! You're going to run into someone!" The brown-haired girl ran alongside her spiky haired friend as they tried to catch up. As the more athletic two of the group, they knew they wouldn't reach them if they didn't want it.

"You worry too much Tea, everything's going to be fine!" yelled back the blonde, a goofy grin on his face. "Right Tristan?"

"Yeah, Joey and I know what we're doing," Tristan replied with a laugh. "How about you and Yugi learn to run a little faster?"

"When do you two ever know what you're doing," Tea chided back at them. With a burst of speed to match her rising annoyance, she left Yugi in the dust and caught up with Joey and Tristan. She grabbed the backs of their shirts and pulled back on them.

"Hey! Wha-"

Before Joey could finish his sentence, his balance was completely destroyed, and he was sent toppling forward. This of course brought Tea along with him, and Tristan brought up the rear. Letting out a loud groan, Joey said, "Look what you did, Tea. We were just fine until you decided to butt in."

"Oh, don't blame this on me," Tea replied as she rubbed a sore spot on her back. "You shouldn't have been dashing around like that in the first place."

"Ahh whatever," Joey muttered as he sat up and rubbed his aching head. "Fine. Next time we won't run around like hooligans. Just as long as you promise to not trip us up like this again."

"If it means you won't act like two giant idiots, you have a deal."

Finally catching up to his friends, Yugi leaned his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm not as tall as all of you, so at least try and slow down so I can keep up."

Joey laughed as he scratched his head and said, "Sorry about that Yug. I'm just so excited that I can't keep this energy in! I know I can't be the only one that's excited to have this little tournament. Even if it ain't official or anything, I wouldn't miss a chance to duel you."

"I feel the same way Joey," Yugi replied, laughing along with his best friend. "How about we slow down though. Don't want to be too tired before we get to the best part."

"Right as always aren't you Yugi," Tristan said as he stood to his feet. "Yeah Joey I don't know what you were thinking when you took off like that."

Joey scrunched up his face in anger as he jumped up to his feet. "Hey you were runnin with me, so don't but all the blame on me."

"Why do you boys always resort to fighting," Tea grumbled as she stood up as well, though slower than Joey. "Let's just get going before we make an even bigger scene than we already have."

Joey huffed as he started walking in the direction of the Game Shop. "Yeah yeah…" However, before he could get too far, someone turned a corner right in front of Joey.

The stranger saw Joey, but Joey didn't see them until it was too late. He bumped right into them, but since he was no longer running, there was minimal damage. This however didn't stop the stranger from getting annoyed at the minor inconvenience.

"Watch where you're going punk. Some people don't really appreciate someone running into them."

Joey clenched his fist ready to fight, but stopped when he saw exactly who he had collided with. The young woman that stood before him was slightly taller than him. Her long brown hair sat gracefully over her shoulders, a small piece sitting on the bridge of her nose. She looked down at him with cold, cobalt eyes, and for a moment, Joey was startled by how familiar they looked.

The surprise was overtaken by the wave of anger that finally hit Joey's shore. Clenching his fists in front of his face, Joey waved them in front of the woman as he said, "Maybe you should watch where you're going! Punk huh? Oh I'll show you punk-"

"Chill out Joey, this is nothing to get so worked up about," Tristan said as he put his arms around Joey and held him back. The last thing any of them needed at that moment was a fight with a random stranger on the street.

"You should listen to your friend," the woman sneered. "Would be pretty embarrassing for you to get your ass beat in the middle of a street in front of your friends."

"Why I outta-"

Joey was suddenly cut off when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking back, he saw Yugi, the smaller boy's eyes wide in surprise. He wasn't looking at Joey though. His eyes were set on the woman.

"What's wrong Yug?" Joey asked, but he was completely ignored. Yugi pushed past him to stand directly in front of the annoyed stranger. That annoyance however changed to shock, and her eyes lit up with recognition.

"Marianne?" Yugi asked, his voice slightly shaking. "Is that really you?"

The shock in her eyes was fleeting, and it soon regained its steel resolve. With a huff, she turned her back and grumbled, "I'm out of here."

"No you're not!" Yugi yelled, much to the surprise of everyone. It was rare that the kind-hearted duelist rose his voice in such a way. Running to stand in Marianne's way, Yugi said, "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Because I have nothing to say," Marianne replied as she side stepped Yugi and continued on her way.

Joey looked like he wanted to say something, but Tristan smacked a hand over his mouth, much to the annoyance of his friend. It was Tea that spoke up and said something in defense of her friend. "Hey, Yugi's talking to you. You could at least have the decency to turn around and face him."

Marianne didn't seem fazed by the girl's words, and didn't stop walking.

It was only when Yugi spoke up again that she stopped in her tracks. "Fine, I get it, you don't want to talk. But we've missed you. A lot. I know that Grandpa would love to see you again. The Game Shop is always open to you when you want to come home again."

Yugi's words were met by complete silence until Marianne let out a small huff, though no words followed. Instead she started to walk again until she rounded a corner and was no longer in sight.

When she was gone, Yugi's shoulders sagged, and his eyes showed just how defeated he felt. It had been so long since his friends had seen him this way, and they all knew that something major was up if he was acting this way.

Patting his friend on the head, Joey said, "Hey cheer up Yugi. She didn't say no."

"Yeah, you just gotta have hope," Tristan chimed in. "But uh.. Would you mind filling us in on who exactly that chick is Buddy? We're kinda in the dark on this one."

Even though his eyes were still filled with sadness, Yugi forced a smile on his face as he said, "I'm sorry, I was just so surprised that I totally forgot to say anything while she was here." Looking down at the ground, Yugi whispered, "That's Marianne. She… She's my older sister."

"SISTER?" Joey, Tristan and Tea yelled at the same time, earning them strange glances from other people passing by.

Tea was the first one to regain her ability to speak. "You have a sister? But she doesn't look anything like you? And why haven't you told us about her before now?"

Yugi sighed as he said, "Yeah, I have a sister. She's my adopted sister though. My Mother used to volunteer at the orphanage that Marianne lived at, and we ended up adopting her."

"That makes a little more sense," Joey said, scratching the top of his head. "But we've never seen her around the Game Shop or nothin. What gives?"

"A little bit before I really became friends with all of you, she just sort of… disappeared," Yugi answered, his eyes going to the ground once again. "She didn't say anything to us, or give us any warning. She was there one day and gone the next. I never told you all because I guess it hurt too much to remember her."

"Don't beat yourself up about it Yugi," Joey said as he patted Yugi on the back. "I'm sure things will work out in the end, you just gotta believe hard enough." He scrunched his eyes and looked Yugi directly in the eyes. "But next time don't forget to tell us something as important as YOU HAVING A SISTER."

Seeing the way that Joey was freaking out didn't startled Yugi. Instead it was just the medicine that he needed. His spirits started to lift, and he smiled as he laughed. "Thank you Joey, you always know what to say when I need it. And I promise I won't keep things like that from you guys anymore."

"Don't tell me you're hiding another brother, or secret love child from us or somethin like that," Joey mumbled as he crossed his arms.

Yugi laughed again as he shook his head. "No, no there's nobody else, just Marianne. And love child? Really Joey?"

"Hey Yug I just found out you got an older sister, who knows what else you could have been keepin in your pocket."

"It definitely isn't that," Yugi chuckled. Shaking his head again to try and get rid of any negative thoughts he had after seeing Marianne again, Yugi looked at his friends and said, "But let's get back to the Game Shop now. We have a tournament to compete in after all."


	4. Family Ties: Chapter Two

_The crisp summer air turned out to be a perfect playground for the children of the orphanage that day. The youngest played on the playground while the older sat around and watched while they talked about various gossip. Some stayed inside to play though, not really caring too much for the giggles and shouts._

_Sitting alone underneath a tree, Marianne had found it easy to drown out the noise around her as she stuck her nose into her book. Her and her brothers had only been here a little over a week, yet she was already running out of new books in the orphanage's library to read. Most of her free time went to reading when she wasn't doting on her brothers in one way or another._

_Just as she was getting to the good part, a tap on the shoulder ripped her from her book. With a frown on her face, and eyes narrowed, Marianne glared up at the intrusion and asked, "What do you want?"_

_The boy in question was one that she hadn't seen before. If she had, she most certainly would have remembered him. The boy's spiky, multicolored hair was far too recognizable for one to forget. With a sheepish smile, he bowed his head slightly and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to say hello."_

_Marianne raised an eyebrow and closed her book after marking where she had left off. "Say hello to me? Kid, there are a bunch of others around here that are your age. Go say hi to them."_

" _But you're the only one that looks lonely," the boy replied as he plopped down on the ground beside Marianne. "So I wanted to talk to you."_

" _Lonely?" Marianne snorted. "No, I just like to be on my own, that's all. There ain't many kids my age around here, and none that would be able to keep up in a conversation with me. Just run along."_

_He puffed out his cheeks and crossed his arms as he said, "Nobody likes to be all alone." Releasing the air from his cheeks, the boy smiled brightly as he said, "My name is Yugi. What's yours?"_

_Marianne wanted to continue to tell him to shove off, but she could see his stubborn nature in his eyes. She could almost see her brother in him. With a heavy sigh, she replied, "My name is Marianne."_

" _That's a pretty name," Yugi giggled. He scooted closer to Marianne as he said, "Do you like to play games?"_

_Shrugging her shoulders, Marianne said, "I guess, but mostly because my little brothers like to play games. They rope me into it when they need a third player."_

_Yugi's eyes started to shine as he said, "Really? Maybe one day when I come back to visit with Mother, we can play a game together. I know some fun ones we can play!"_

" _Visit? I'm guessing your Mom is one of those folks that come and help out around here when they don't have enough employees?"_

" _Yep, that's her," Yugi replied, his smile growing. "She likes to make food for everyone here. She says she likes to see them smile."_

" _I see," Marianne mumbled. She was about to say something else, but was interrupted when a woman appeared from around the other side of the tree._

" _There you are Yugi, I've been looking everywhere for you," the woman said as she put her hands on her hips. "You know you shouldn't run off like that."_

" _I'm sorry Mother," Yugi replied, as he stood up and ran over to his mother. Even if she was being stern with him, the smile on the child's face never faltered. Hugging her tightly, he said, "I promise I'll ask next time."_

_The woman couldn't help but smile down at her son as she patted him on the head and said, "Good." Looking back up at Marianne, she dipped her head as she said, "Thank you for keeping Yugi out of trouble, and keeping him company as well while I worked."_

_Marianne shrugged her shoulders as she said, "Yeah, no problem. Wasn't like I was doing anything better with my time anyway."_

_The woman didn't seem to mind the sarcasm in Marianne's voice, and she simply laughed. "Well I appreciate it nonetheless. Say goodbye Yugi, it's time for us to go."_

_Yugi waved his hand, and his smile stretched from ear to ear. "Goodbye Marianne, I'll come back and see you soon."_

* * *

As the light of the early sun started to peek into the Game Shop that morning, Yugi felt himself being pulled out his dreams. Once the rays hit his face, he let out a groan as he turned around in his bed, dreading having to wake up. The weekend was upon him, but that meant he would much rather sleep in than wake up early.

Pulling his covers over his head, Yugi started to drift off into sleep once again. However, it was short lived. From down below, he heard a series of different crashes of pots and pans falling to the ground. Startled completely awake, Yugi didn't even attempt to get dressed before rushing downstairs to see what all the noise was about.

Heart pounding out of his chest, Yugi was preparing himself for the worst. Was somebody breaking in? Was Grandpa okay? All his worrying thoughts bounced around in his head like a pinball trapped in its machine. Another crash echoed through the building, but when Yugi skidded to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, all his anxiety washed away and was replaced by pure confusion.

Solomon Muto was kneeling on the ground, surrounded by the causes of all the noise. There was excitement in all of his movements, but that only caused the older man to continue to drop the pots as he picked them up.

"Grandpa? What are you doing?" Yugi asked as he ran over to join Solomon on the kitchen floor.

With Yugi's help, the two of them were able to clean up the mess that was made in no time. Once they were finished, Solomon's eyes were practically glowing as he said, "It's Marianne! Marianne has returned!"

Yugi's eyes went wide with surprise as he asked, "Really?" It had been a few weeks since the gang and him ran into Marianne on the street. As the days went by, Yugi had lost hope that she would take up his offer to return home, but it seemed like she was just taking her sweet time. Yugi's own eyes started to shine when his grandpa nodded his head in excitement.

"Really! She's over in the Game Shop right now. I wanted to come back and make her something special to eat, though she insisted against it. Oh I just wanted to do something after so long, but here I am just making a mess of things."

"I'm sure she'll love whatever you make Grandpa," Yugi replied. "Just slow down a bit so you don't drop everything on the ground again. I'm going to go and talk with her while you finish things up."

Solomon seemed to barely hear what Yugi was saying, as he immediately went back to the counter and started to mutter things under his breath. Yugi shook his head and laughed quietly before heading out into the main area.

Standing with her arms crossed, Marianne was over by one of the windows looking out at the streets, her back to Yugi. Her body language looked as if it was alert and reserved, her shoulders seeming stiff and her back straight. Her brown hair was just as immaculate as always, and when she heard footsteps, she turned to look back at Yugi with apprehension in her eyes.

"I didn't think you'd come back," Yugi said as he approached Marianne.

Turning her body around to face her younger brother, Marianne let her arms drop to her side as she sighed and shook her head. "Neither did I, but here we are."

"What changed your mind?"

Marianne shrugged her shoulders as she said, "I don't know. Maybe it was guilt, or maybe just pure curiosity at how much things have changed since I left. I was putting it off, but something just kept nagging me in the back of my head to come and see you two. It was getting too loud to ignore, so here I am."

The smile on Yugi's face grew as he said, "Well whatever the reason is, I'm glad that you're here."

Running her fingers through her hair, Marianne said, "Yeah, yeah..." She closed her eyes and turned her head away as she continued, "Look… I'm sorry Yugi… I guess I haven't really been that good of a sister to you. Then again, I don't think being a good sister was ever in my cards."

"Don't beat yourself up about it Marianne," Yugi replied. Walking up next to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, which caused her to flinch a bit before relaxing. "You were never a bad sister, or at least I never saw it that way."

Marianne chuckled quietly as she mumbed, "You've always been too kind for your own good, you know that?"

"I hear that a lot," Yugi replied, laughing with her. A feeling of warmth started to bubble in his chest, and his smile was getting so big it was making his cheeks hurt. It had been years since he was just able to talk with his older sister like this, and Yugi had forgotten just how much he missed her. With all his friends around him curbing his loneliness, Marianne had been an afterthought. While it made him guilty admitting that to himself, he pushed that down, not wanting to spoil his own good mood.

Marianne's lips curled into a small smile as she shook her head. "Not like I really deserve it… Look Yugi, I'm sorry about before, and about everything in general. I… There were just things that I needed to deal with, and am still dealing with."

"You don't need to explain yourself until you're ready Marianne," Yugi replied. "The only thing I ask is that you don't disappear on us for who knows how long again."

"Deal," Marianne chuckled. "I promise I'll tell you everything one of these days. I don't know when, but I'm sure my heart will let me know when it's the right time." She sighed again as she rubbed her arm and said, "But I'm sorry if I was mean the other day to you and your friends. I wasn't exactly in a good mood, and the loud mouth wasn't really making it better. I didn't intend for our reunion to be so volatile."

"They've already forgiven you for it, so don't worry about it. Joey can be a bit hard headed sometimes, but he's a good guy," Yugi replied. Looking down at his feet, Yugi felt his smile slip as he asked, "How did you intend for us to meet again."

The silence that Yugi was met with gave him his answer. She never intended for it to happen. Instead of thinking about it more, Yugi changed the subject and said, "Nevermind. Anyway, I think it would be really nice if you said sorry to the others yourself. I would really like it if my best friends got to meet my older sister."

Marianne scowled, but conceded without much of a fight. "Okay fine. To make it easier, you all can come over to my house. Just be sure to keep them on a leash so they don't break anything."

Yugi's joy went through the roof as he nodded his head vigorously. "I'll make sure that they're well behaved. Oh this is great! And I'll get to see Brendan and Cyprus again. How have they been by the way?"

It was only for a moment, but Yugi saw Marianne's eyes darken slightly before she turned away from him. In barely above a whisper, she replied, "They're doing… fine…"

This sudden change in demeanor concerned Yugi, but before he could question her on anything, Solomon appeared from the kitchen with a plate full of pancakes covered in foil to keep them warm. "I hope you're both hungry because I made plenty!"

Marianne took the topic change and rolled with it before Yugi could bring anything up again. "Ah Gramps I told you not to make me anything, I can't stay for much longer. I have to get back home before I'm missed."

Solomon pouted as he said, "Well if you insist on leaving, then I insist you take some home for yourself and that great-grandson of mine. I know that your husband isn't one for sweets, so he's off the hook. For now."

The uncomfortable look in Marianne's eyes came back as she nodded slowly. Taking the plate in her hand, she replied, "Uh yeah I'll be sure to share when I get home. Thank you again Gramps, I promise that I'll come back soon so we can catch up."

"You better, you hear me!"

Marianne chuckled as she said, "I will." Turning to Yugi, she said, "And if you're free, you and your friends can come over tomorrow. I'm not doing anything important, so you can drop by whenever you feel like it." Taking out a piece of paper, Marianne quickly scribbled something on it before handing it to Yugi. "Here. There's my address and my new number. Just send me a text before you come so I can be prepared."

"Sounds good."

"I guess I'll see you around then," Marianne replied as she started towards the door. Before she walked through, she stood in the open doorway and said, "And thanks again Yugi. I really don't deserve to have a brother like you. I'll make everything up to you. I promise."


	5. Family Ties: Chapter Three

" _Marianne. The interview director would like to speak with you."_

_A knock on her door early that morning surprised Marianne from her sleep, but it was quickly replaced by a feeling of dread. She never liked going to the interview room. She was always met with disappointment and anxiety._

_Sliding out of her bed, Marianne dragged her feet over to her dresser so she could get dressed in something presentable. Whatever family was here to see her wouldn't be impressed no matter what she wore, but at least she could say that she tried. After brushing the tangles out of her hair, Marianne took one last look at herself before deeming her appearance acceptable. With lethargic steps, she made her way to the door, and out into the orphanage halls._

_While she never went there often, Marianne still knew the way to the interview room like the back of her hand. Watching kids go there all the time and leave with a family ingrained it in her mind._

_A lump formed in Marianne's throat, and she sweat started to moisten her palms. Even though she knew it would never be the outcome, she always worried what would happen if she was wanted. Her little brothers meant the world to her and leaving them behind… Well she didn't want to think about that. But what if she got the chance?_

_Shaking the thoughts from her head, Marianne saw the interview room door and slowed her pace so it took longer to reach. Once she was finally at the door, she sighed as she raised an arm and knocked. She heard a soft "Come in," and after a moment of hesitation, she opened the door and went inside._

_Marianne's eyes went wide as she saw who was sitting at the table. On one side was the interview director who was there to mediate the meetings in case something happened. On the other side though was a familiar face._

_Dipping her head, Marianne said, "Hello Mrs. Muto. It is a pleasure to see you again." While they didn't talk every day, Marianne and Mrs. Muto had some conversations with one another after her first meeting with Yugi. After that, Yugi came to visit more often when he was able, and would always try to spend at least a little while with Marianne. Apparently the kid had gotten a bit attached, but Marianne couldn't understand why._

" _Hello Marianne, it's good to see you as well," Mrs. Muto replied. She motioned towards the seat in front of her and said, "Please take a seat."_

_Marianne nodded, but said nothing in return. The lump had returned in her throat, and she found it hard to form any words. Her thoughts were going haywire, and she couldn't keep them under control. She had always met Mrs. Muto in the kitchen or out in the playground. If she had brought her to the interview room, that could only mean one thing…_

" _I know this is probably very sudden for you Marianne, but I want to ask you something," Mrs. Muto said, breaking the tense silence. "You and Yugi have been spending a lot of time together when he gets the chance to come and visit. He doesn't have friends at school, and he is always very lonely."_

_Mrs. Muto rubbed her fingers against her knuckles as she continued. "He really seems to like you, so I was wondering. Would you like to come and live with us?"_

_Marianne's eyes went wide, and she looked down at the table to avoid eye contact. "Y-you want to adopt me?"_

" _Yes I do."_

_Barely able to process the words that were being spoken to her, Marianne went quiet for a moment. She didn't know what to say at all. Did she want to go? Did she want to stay? She had thought about it so much before, but now that it was right in front of her, she didn't know what to say._

" _This is a good opportunity for you Marianne," the interview director said, pulling her from her thoughts. "You know how hard it is for a teenager to get adopted. It is highly likely that you won't have this opportunity ever again."_

" _I know…" Marianne whispered, her eyes still looking down, and her thoughts bouncing around in her head._

" _I understand that this is sudden Marianne," Mrs. Muto interjected. "Take as much time as you need to make a decision."_

_Time. That was the last thing that Marianne had at this point. If she missed this chance, she wouldn't have it again. But if she did take it, she would miss the chance to be with her brothers. Then again, would she have been with her brothers in the first place? There was no guarantee. In fact, it was even less likely that they would all three get adopted than it was for her to get adopted alone._

_Marianne felt like she was at an impasse. Should she take her own chance, or risk it to be with her brothers? They were absolutely worth it, but was it worth bringing them down as well? Her brothers deserved each other, they needed each other more than anything in the world. She wasn't necessary in the equation, she knew that. She knew._

" _I accept."_

* * *

"Do we really have to do this Yug?"

Joey had asked the same question over five times on their walk to Marianne's house, and every time Yugi had the same answer. "I told you that you didn't have to, but it would mean a lot to me if you did."

Messing with the duel disk strapped to his arm in slight frustration, Joey replied, "Yeah I know, but you're gonna make me feel guilty if I don't go." With a heavy sigh, he continued, "Just know that I'm only doing this for you Yug."

Yugi smiled brightly as he said, "Thank you Joey." Gazing around at the scenery, Yugi made sure that they were headed in the right direction. The park that they were in was one of the largest ones in the city of Domino, along with the most popular. Scattered across the area were different playgrounds for the younger children, along with areas sanctioned off specifically for dueling. Trees were littered here and there, and patches of wildflowers gave color to the green background.

Scanning around the park, Yugi's eyes stopped when he spotted a familiar figure. Sitting on a hill by herself, Marianne was leaning back on her arms as she gazed into the sky. While he couldn't see her face, Yugi figured that something was on her mind.

"I'm not lookin forward to this," Joey mumbled.

Tristan smacked him on the back as he said, "If you're going to keep being pessimistic about it, then something will go wrong for sure. Just relax and be yourself. Oh wait, on second thought, maybe you shouldn't be yourself."

Punching Tristan on the shoulder, Joey replied, "Hey!" He let out a sigh of annoyance at Tristan's laughter and mumbled, "Whatever, you're no help at all."

"He's right though Joey," Tea said. "Just don't do anything stupid and I'm sure you'll be fine."

Yugi wasn't paying too much attention to what his friends were saying, and instead focused on getting to Marianne. As quick as his small legs could carry him, he ran up to his older sister. She heard his footsteps once he got close, and she turned to face him. Something flashed in her eyes, but it was so quick that Yugi wasn't able to pinpoint what it was exactly.

"Hey Yugi, it's good to see you," Marianne said with a small smile. She glanced behind him to see his friends, and the smile dropped. However, Yugi couldn't see any malice in her eyes. She seemed more attentive than annoyed.

"Good to see you too Marianne," Yugi replied as Joey, Tristan and Tea joined him.

Standing to her feet, Marianne dipped her head slightly as she said, "I do apologize for the way that we met the other day. I do hope that you've forgiven me. For Yugi's sake, I wish to put aside any harsh feelings so we can coexist in peace."

"We've forgiven you Marianne, Yugi explained things to us the other day," Tea said. "My name is Tea by the way, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah you're all good," Tristan added. "I'm the one and only Tristan Taylor." Wrapping his arm around Joey's neck and pulling him into a chokehold, Tristan said, "And this is Joey. He's a knucklehead, but you get used to it after a while."

"Hey! I don't need your help introducin myself!" Joey grumbled as he shook a laughing Tristan off him. Dusting himself off, Joey pointed his thumb towards himself as he said, "I'm not just Joey Wheeler, I'm Joey Wheeler, one of the best duelists in the world." Chuckling nervously, he said, "And sorry about runnin into ya the other day."

Marianne shrugged and said, "I'm over it. It's a pleasure to meet you all as well." Looking down at Yugi, she asked, "So what do you have planned, little brother. Brendan ran off to go and play, so it's just me for now."

"Brendan?" Joey asked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.

"My son," Marianne replied, her tone nonchalant.

"Son?" Tea asked, clasping her hands together in front of her and giggling to herself. "Yugi you never told us you had a little nephew. Can we meet him?"

Marianne chuckled quietly as she answered, "Sure. But right now he's playing with his friends. Either he'll come and join us when he's done, or I'll grab him before we're ready to leave. He's a friendly kid. Takes after his dad."

"Do you think we'll be able to meet your husband too?" Tea asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Yugi saw something in Marianne's eye again, but she turned away, barring him from probing any further once again. In a more quiet voice, she said, "He's out of town right now." She didn't seem to want to stay on the current topic, so Marianne quickly changed it. "So Yugi, what's the plan?"

While he was concerned at what was bothering Marianne, Yugi chose to follow along and not press her anymore. Holding up his arm, he pointed at the duel disk and said, "Joey and I were thinking about having a duel so you could watch us if you're up to it."

"Sure, that doesn't sound half bad," Marianne replied. "I haven't watched you duel in a while, not since the KC Grand Championship."  
"You were there?" Yugi asked.

Nodding her head, Marianne said, "Of course I was. It was a big deal in the dueling world after all. I still play, you know."

"I thought you would have given up dueling since you only dueled because of me," Yugi replied.

"I didn't duel just because of you Yugi, but you and Gramps were a pretty big reason."

Joey was invested in the conversation once he heard the word "duel", and with his eyes shining, he asked, "You duel? Do you have your deck with you? I'd love to get a crack at you."

Marianne crossed her arms, a smirk replacing her smile. "I always have it with me. I may not play as often anymore, but I still keep it close just in case. Looks like it's paid off. Hey Yugi, can I borrow your duel disk? If I knew this is what we would be doing, I would have brought mine along, but it's locked up tight in my home."

"Of course," Yugi replied as he slipped his duel disk off and handed it to Marianne. Smiling brightly, he chuckled as he said, "It's been so long since I've seen you duel Marianne. Do you still have the same deck?"

"Sure do. I wouldn't part with it for anything in the world," Marianne answered. "They've been with me through thick and thin, and I won't toss them away."

"You definitely sound like a Muto, but let's see if you duel like one," Joey snickered as he activated his duel disk and drew his starting hand. "I'm a bit of a gentleman, so why don't you go first."

"Suit yourself," Marianne answered as she drew her cards and started off the duel.

_Marianne ( 4000 LP ) Joey ( 4000 LP )_

"I think I'll start my turn off by placing one monster facedown in defense mode. Then I'll set one card, and that's all for my turn."

"That's all?" Joey laughed. "You're gonna have to do way better if you're gonna have even a chance to beat me. Let me show you how a pro does it. I summon the Goblin Attack Force! (2300 ATK/0 DEF)" As he played his card, a large group of giggling goblins stormed Joey's side of the field. Despite their attack strength, Marianne didn't seem fazed.

"Go Goblin Attack Force, destroy her facedown monster." As Joey ordered his monsters to attack, the goblins hoisted their weapons above their head. Charging forward, they jumped the unsuspecting monster on Marianne's side of the field.

"You've attacked my Alien Grey," Marianne said, flipping over her monster. The little grey creature stared at Joey with its bulging red eyes. As the goblins attacked, the alien attached its long, stringy fingers onto them, leaving behind a pulsating blob of flesh. Once it's job was done, the Alien Grey shattered into small particles.

"What did you do to my Goblins?" Joey asked, his eyes fixated on the strange mass.

"Just my Alien Grey's special ability," Marianne answered with a smirk. "That is what's known as an A-Counter. For each A-Counter that your monster has on it, it loses 300 attack and defense points when it battles with an Alien monster. When you flipped over my Grey, it left behind a little present."

"I've never seen cards like these," Joey mumbled. "But that ain't gonna stop me from beating you!"

"We will see about that. My Alien Grey isn't done yet though. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, I get to draw one card." Taking another card from her deck, Marianne said, "But that isn't all." Flipping her facedown card, she continued, "I activate my trap card, Detonator Circle "A". With this, I'm able to destroy one face up monster with an A-Counter. Then we both take 1000 points of damage!"

Once the trap was activated, the blob started to grow larger, and its grey skin started to turn a bright pink. The goblins tried to run away, but they couldn't escape the blast once the blob exploded, sending green goo in all directions.

"You may have taken out my monster, but you took a chunk just as big as me, so we're still even," Joey said. "Since I don't have any more monsters, I'll set this card face down and end my turn."

_Marianne ( 3000 LP ) Joey ( 3000 LP )_

"That may be, but we will see if that stays true," Marianne chided as she drew another card. "I'll summon my Alien Warrior in attack mode. (1800 ATK/1000 DEF)" As the spikey grey alien appeared on the field, it held out its large claws and roared.

"Next I'll play the field spell Otherword - The "A" Zone." Once the card was played, the world around them started to change. They were thrown into outer space, galaxies and nebulas floating around them as stray asteroids and comets shot through the sky. Strange creatures crawled around on rocks suspended in the air, watching the duelist below them.

"Now this is freaky," Joey said as he took in the sights around him. "You took us to space!"

"Space is where it's denizens are the strongest, and my Aliens fit right into that category," Marianne answered. "As long as Otherworld - The "A" Zone is in play, your monsters lose 300 attack and defense when they battle with an Alien monster."

"Now that's an annoying little card," Joey said, his teeth and fists clenched. "But that ain't gonna stop me. I'll get around it, just you wait!"

"It's not if you can get around it, it's if you'll be able to do it before it's too late," Marianne said. "Now, Alien Warrior, attack Joey directly."

"You ain't gonna get me that easily," Joey said as he flipped over his facedown. "I activate my Kunai with Chain, and I'll use it to force your Alien Warrior into defense mode!"  
As her Warrior stopped its attack and kneeled down into a guarded position, Marianne shrugged and said, "Only a minor setback. I can't do anything else, so I end my turn."

"Now for the counterattack," Joey said. "And I'll start by activating the card Landstar Forces. This allows me to special summon as many Level 3 or lower Landstar monsters I have in my hand in attack position. I summon my Knight of Landstar (1000 ATK/1200 DEF) and my Brigadier of Landstar (900 ATK/1200 DEF). But that ain't all. I normal summon my Panther Warrior (2000 ATK/1600 DEF)."

"Joey's got himself a small army now," Tristan said as Joey's monsters all entered the field. "I wonder how Marianne is going to get out of this jam."

"She ain't and that's the point," Joey gloated, puffing out his chest. "Time to show you just how good a world class duelist is. By sacrificing my Brigadier of Landstar, my Panther warrior is allowed to attack. Since your Warrior is in defense mode, even with its attack lowered from your field spell, my Panther has more than enough power to take your monster out."

As Panther Warrior slashed through the Alien Warrior, the monster exploded, and pieces of its body attached itself onto the panther. With a chuckle, Marianne said, "My Warrior may be gone, but it has left its mark. When Alien Warrior is destroyed by battle, two A-Counters are placed on the monster that destroyed it."

"Whaaaat!" Joey yelled as he saw the two blobs pulsing on his monster. Shaking his head, he said, "Screw your counters, they ain't gonna help you stop my monsters. Knight of Landstar, attack her directly!" The small knight jumped forward and slashed Marianne, who held up her arms to block the attack from her face. "Since I have nothing else to do, I'll end my turn."

_Marianne ( 2000 LP ) Joey ( 3000 LP )_

Marianne drew another card, and smiled as she said, "It's time for things to really get started." Placing a card on her disk, Marianne said, "I'll start things off by activating the special ability of my Alien Skull." As she said this, the Knight of Landstar started to puff up like a balloon.

"What's happening to my Knight!?"

"That's just my Skull's ability," Marianne answered. "With it, I'm allowed to sacrifice a Level 3 or lower monster on YOUR side of the field in order to special summon Alien Skull. (1600 ATK/1800 DEF)" When the Knight couldn't get any bigger, it exploded, and in its place stood a grotesque grey creature. It crawled over to Marianne's side of the field, and let out a chilling growl that sounded more like a gurgle than anything.

"I'm no longer able to normal summon or set any monster this turn because of Skull, but that doesn't mean I'm not able to special summon something else." When Marianne placed another card on the field, the blobs that were on Panther Warrior started to wiggle before they shot off its body and onto the field. They fused together, and started to writhe on the ground.

"By removing 2 A-Counters from anywhere on the field, I'm able to special summon my Alien Overlord! (2200 ATK/1600 ATK)" The blobs started to take shape, and eventually they formed into a fierce creature. Its red body was covered in strange purple armor. Raising its six claws up in the air, it roared, showing off its sharp teeth as it swished its tail against the ground.

"This ain't good," Joey mumbled as a bead of sweat traveled down his face.

"It isn't," Marianne snickered. "Now I activate my Overlord's ability." The alien took a deep breath before spitting another pulsing blob at Panther Warrior. "Every turn I'm able to add one A-Counter to every monster on your side of the field. Now, Alien Overlord, attack Panther Warrior." Jumping forward, Overlord slashed the Panther through the middle with three of its claws, destroying the monster in an instant. "Because of my field spell and the A-Counter, your Panther Warrior's power is reduced, and the damage you take is increased. I'll finish off my turn by attacking you directly with Alien Skull."

_Marianne ( 2000 LP ) Joey ( 600 LP )_

As the dust settled from Alien Skull's attack, Joey stood tall as he said, "I may be in a jam, but that doesn't mean I'm beat yet. I'll start off by playing Jar of Greed, which allows me to draw two more cards." Scanning the two cards that he drew, Joey snickered as he said, "Now this is what I'm talkin about!"

"First I'll summon my Gearfried the Iron Knight, but he won't be stickin around for very long. I activate the magic card Release Restraint. With this I'm able to sacrifice my Iron Knight in order to call out Gearfried the Swordmaster! (2600 ATK/2200 DEF) Now Swordmaster, attack Marianne's Overlord! And since it ain't got any A-Counters, his attack stays the same." Dashing forward, Gearfried readied his sword, and struck down the Alien Overlord. "Let's see you deal with this."

_Marianne ( 1600 LP ) Joey ( 600 LP )_

"Oh don't you worry, I'm already prepared to not only deal with him, but end this duel," Marianne replied, her confidence exuding from her words. "I think I'll start by getting rid of that eyesore of a monster. I activate my magic card Corruption Cell "A". This allows me to add an A-Counter to any monster on your side of the field, and I of course choose Gearfried."

As the fleshy mass appeared on Gearfried the Swordmaster, Marianne played another card. "Next I'll activate my Mysterious Triangle card. Not only am I able to destroy a monster with an A-Counter attached to it, I can special summon a Level 4 Alien. It will get destroyed in the end phase, but I think we both know that phase won't be coming."

Joey's eyes widened as the counter enlarged and exploded, taking Gearfried with it. When he regained his composure, he stood his ground and said, "I'm a duelist with pride in myself and my deck, so I don't plan on surrendering."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from one of Yugi's friends," Marianne replied. "I special summon my Alien Dog in attack mode (1500 ATK/1000 DEF)." The residue from the explosion all wiggled, and each piece moved onto Marianne's side of the field into a giant mass. It shuddered and molded until the Alien Dog burst from the center. While it looked almost normal, its beady green eyes, along with the white armor that covered its blue flesh gave away the Dog's alien nature.

"Why did it have to be a dog," Joey mumbled as the Alien Dog started to growl at him. Jumping forward, the Dog bit down on Joey's arm, causing his life points to hit zero.

"You did great out there Joey," Yugi said as the two duelists deactivated their duel disks. "And you too Marianne. Were you lying to me about not playing for a while, because you've definitely improved since the last time we dueled."

Marianne handed the duel disk back to Yugi before she chuckled and said, "I've dueled, but not seriously. I'm a Muto, I don't think my dueling skills could ever just go away."

Joey held out his hand, his lips curled into a giant smile. "You're one tough opponent that's for sure. You really live up to your last name. I hope we can duel again some day, and next time I'll take down those Aliens of yours."

Marianne stared at Joey's hand for a moment before a soft smile appeared on her face. Finally shaking his hand, Marianne said, "Yeah. I'd like that." As she pulled her hand back, Marianne checked the watch that was on her wrist. With a sigh, she said, "I know we didn't get much time together, but it's getting late, so I should probably head home."

There was some disappointment in Yugi's eyes, but he still smiled as she said, "It's okay Marianne, we can do this again sometime soon, and next time I get to duel you. Okay?"

"Yeah that sounds like a plan," Marianne replied. "Let me go and grab Brendan so he can say hello, but then we will head back home." Turning away from the group, Marianne headed over to a park where a few children were playing with adults watching over them.

"See Joey, it didn't go too bad," Tristan said once Marianne was out of earshot. "You did get your butt kicked though."

"Ah can it," Joey said, "I did better than you ever could." Before he could continue, Joey stopped as he spotted something close by. His entire demeanor turned sour as his eyes locked onto their target.

Curious as to what Joey was looking at, Yugi followed his friend's gaze, and knew immediately why he looked so angry. Walking nearby was a tall figure that they all were very familiar with. His white trench coat billowed around his legs as he walked with arrogance in each step. With hands in his pockets, the brunette seemed deep in thought until his deep blue eyes locked with Yugi's. There was no kindness in them, and when they saw Joey along with Yugi, the contempt only grew. As he walked past, he tried to ignore the group, but Joey wasn't about to let that happen.

"Look what we have here," Joey sneered. "Today must be special if the great Seto Kaiba isn't holed up in his office typing away at a computer."

While he didn't seem interested in talking with Joey, Kaiba wasn't about to let his insult go without throwing one of his own. "I should have expected to see you in a park Wheeler, but I thought it was a rule that all dogs need to be on a leash."

Clenching his fists, Joey tried to jump at Kaiba, but Yugi and Tristan held him back. "Say that again Money Bags. I'll show you just how much my punches are packin!"

"I'd feel threatened, but I know you're all bark and no bite," Kaiba retorted. Stopping in his tracks, he crossed his arms and frowned as he said, "I knew coming out for some fresh air was a bad idea. Leave it to you dorks to show up and get on my nerves."

"There's no need for that Kaiba," Yugi said, trying his best to be the peacekeeper. He could tell that Tristan was two seconds away from letting Joey lose on Kaiba, and Tea was struggling to keep her mouth shut so she wouldn't make things worse than they already were.

Kaiba scoffed and looked as if he wanted to say something, but he was interrupted when a figure stood in between him and Yugi. Marianne had returned, and though Yugi couldn't see her face, her rigid stance gave away her anger.

Yugi thought the argument would escalate now that Marianne was here, but instead something strange happened. He saw something akin to surprise flash across Kaiba's eyes, but that surprise was soon replaced by pure anger and hatred that made a chill go down Yugi's spine.

Marianne and Kaiba stared each other down, but nothing was said between the two. When the tension in the air reached its peak, Kaiba scoffed once again, but said nothing. Instead he just turned around and walked away from them all, leaving the gang dumbfounded as to what actually happened.

"And good riddance," Joey yelled as he shook his fist at Kaiba's retreating figure. "We owe you one Marianne, who knows what would have happened if you didn't come along."

"You would have gotten your butt kicked by Kaiba is what," Tea grumbled as she smacked Joey on the head. "You could have just let him walk by without saying anything, but no you had to cause a problem."

"It ain't my fault that guy gets on my nerves. Just lookin at him makes me see red. I mean, look at the way he's walkin. He acts like he owns the world!"  
"In a weird way he sorta does," Tristan mused, earning him a smack in the head by Joey.

Yugi laughed at his friend's banter, but then turned his focus on Marianne. She hadn't moved from where she was standing, her eyes still trained on the place where Kaiba once was. Tapping her on the shoulder, Yugi asked, "Marianne, are you okay?"

Marianne jolted a bit as she turned to face Yugi, but she regained her composure and said, "I'm fine. Just annoyed."

Yugi was a bit skeptical about that. The far off look in Marianne's eyes had returned, but she seemed even more lost than before. "Okay, but if there's anything wrong, you know you can talk to me about anything. That's what family's for after all."

Marianne forced a smile on her face as she said, "I know." Shaking her head of what was bothering her, she glanced down. Following her gaze, Yugi was taken aback when he saw a young boy hugging her legs. With Kaiba, Yugi hadn't even noticed him. The small child was looking up at Yugi with bright blue eyes, his brown hair tousled from playing.

Kneeling down, Yugi smiled as he said, "Hello Brendan. I know you probably don't recognize me since you were so little the last time I saw you, but I'm your Uncle Yugi."

Brendan tilted his head to the side as he observed the larger boy in front of him. He soon smiled as he giggled and said, "Hello Uncle Yugi! Mama told me about you. She said you're nice."

A blushed formed on Yugi's cheeks as he laughed and said, "I try my best." Pointed to the others, Yugi said, "These are my friends Joey, Tristan, and Tea."

Joey and Tristan both waved, unsure of what to say to the boy, but Tea squealed as she joined Yugi. Kneeling beside him, Tea said, "Oh you're so cute! I hope that we can be good friends Brendan."

Even with so many new people, Brendan didn't seem overwhelmed at all, and instead giggled again. "Thank you. If you're friends with Mama, then I like you!"

Marianne chuckled as she ruffled Brendan's hair. As Yugi stood back up, she said, "I hate to cut this short, but we really should get going. Come and visit me anytime Yugi, I've enjoyed our time together."

"Me too Marianne. I'll definitely take you up on that offer," Yugi replied with a nod of his head.

"Yeah, and I hope we're part of that equation too!" Joey added. When Marianne nodded, Joey pumped his fist in the air and said, "Yeah! And hopefully next time we won't have that Kaiba to come and rain on our parade."

"Yeah…" Marianne mumbled as she turned away. Before Yugi could ask anything, she said, "See you all soon." Taking Brendan's hand in her own, Marianne guided her child down the path and out of sight.

As she walked, Yugi couldn't help but notice the way that her shoulders dropped, and her feet seemed to drag slightly. The others wouldn't be able to see since it was very subtle, but Yugi had known Marianne for much longer. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on what. Asking her directly about it didn't seem to be working, but Yugi knew that if he kept bugging her about it, she would crack soon. The only thing that worried Yugi was if her silence would crack first, or her heart.


	6. Family Ties: Chapter Four

_School. A place that Marianne had only read about in books, but had never been. Since she had once lived far out in the country, she didn't have the displeasure of going to an actual school, and was instead homeschooled. Some would think that was lonely, but since she had her two brothers with her, Marianne could never be lonely._

_However, now that she was Muto in the big city of Domino, she no longer had that luxury. As soon as she had settled into her new home, she was enrolled at Domino High School. While she held some hope that it wouldn't be like her books had described, she was met with sheer disappointment. Cliques, bullies, stuck up bimbos, and ignorance galore. Never before had she yearned so hard for something as she did then, but she knew no matter how much she wished she could go back to homeschooling, it wouldn't happen._

_Keeping to herself most of the time, Marianne didn't have many friends. She wasn't particularly interested in it. She preferred to spend most of her time in the Game Shop with Yugi, and making friends would just get in the way of that. Most wouldn't understand what she's been through, their happy lives clouding them in blissful ignorance. None would care._

_As per the usual, Marianne found herself in the courtyard during lunch. Not many went there as they all wanted to meet with their friends in the cafeteria, so she found some relief from all the noise. Mrs. Muto made her lunch every day, so it wasn't like she needed to go in there in the first place. Settling down on her favorite patch of soft grass, Marianne placed the small lunch bag in front of her, and pulled the contents out._

_Her momentary peace was shattered when she heard footsteps coming her way. She didn't look up until she saw three pairs of feet stop in front of her. With annoyance written all over her face, Marianne stared up at the faces of three familiar girls. They were all in her class, and even though they didn't really interact with one another, their reputation preceded them._

" _What do you want?" Marianne grumbled under her breath. "I'm trying to eat here."_

_The three girls looked at each other, and laughed as one of them said, "Does she really think she can talk to us like that?"_

" _How cocky does she think she is?" another asked. "And here I thought nerds were supposed to be nice."_

" _Well you thought wrong," Marianne interjected. "Sorry if being smarter than you makes me a nerd, but I guess that makes everyone else in the school a nerd too."_

_The third girl scrunched up her face as she said, "Who do you think you are bitch?"_

" _I think I'm done hearing you speak," Marianne replied, her eyes and expression blank. "Now leave me alone and bother someone who cares."_

_The girls turned their noses up to Marianne, and one of them said, "She isn't even worth our time. Let's go girls, we have better things to do. Plus, we don't want to risk our reputation speaking with such a lowly person."_

_Marianne just ignored them and focused back on her food. She let out a sigh of relief when the girls walked away, but it wasn't long before someone else bothered her._

" _Wow that was pretty brave of you. Most don't have the guts to stand up to them."_

_With a deep frown, Marianne glared at the boy who broke her peace. He was another student in her class, but his name eluded her. She didn't pay too much attention to names. His messy brown hair was a little lighter than her own, but his blue eyes were almost as dark as her own. Even under her harsh gaze, his smile never faltered. Looking at her with kind eyes, he laughed as he said, "And here I thought they were scary, but you're something else."_

_Marianne scoffed as she looked away and said, "What's so scary about them?"_

" _Well their fathers are all rich and influential," the boy replied. "Aaaand usually the students that piss them off mysteriously stop going to this school."_

" _Let them, I don't want to be here anyway," Marianne huffed._

_The boy just laughed again as he sat down next to Marianne. "You're funny, you know that?"_

_Marianne felt her face get warm as she looked back at the boy. "I'm not funny!" Letting her gaze drop down to the ground, she grumbled, "Why don't you join your friends instead of talking with me, I'm sure we'd both be happier that way."_

_Tilting his head, the boy said, "My friends? They can handle a day without me. Plus, you don't seem like you have anybody else to eat with."_

" _That's by choice."_

" _Well it's my choice that I want to join you," he replied. Holding out his hand, he asked, "You're Marianne, right?"_

_Marianne stared at his hand for a moment, and part of her didn't want to shake it. However, when she saw the kind look in his eyes, she couldn't refuse. With a sigh, she took his hand and said, "Yes, I'm Marianne. Sorry, I don't remember your name, what is it?"_

" _I'm Cyprus. Cyprus Aspen. It's a pleasure to meet you Marianne. I hope we can be good friends."_

* * *

The energy that pulsed through Marianne's body as the moon rose over Domino was overwhelming, the conflicting feelings in her mind causing her so much confusion. Her duel with Joey earlier that day was exhilarating, something she hadn't felt in such a long time, yet at the same time, her anger and sadness wrenched at her soul.

Having already tucked Brendan in bed, Marianne found herself sitting on the windows sill, watching the moon on its path across the sky. She couldn't go to sleep, her thoughts were too chaotic for that to happen. Part of her feared nightmares from her past would plague her once again, yet part of her was so emotionally exhausted that she wanted to pass out forever.

Unable to sit still any longer, Marianne forced herself to her feet. After checking on Brendan to make sure that he was still asleep and okay, she let her body guide her out of the house. The neighborhood that she lived in was one of the larger ones, near the edge of Domino City. None of the houses were that large, just moderate or small, and they looked quaint and cozy from the outside. Even in the dark, Marianne felt safe, knowing nothing bad really happened where she lived.

Her uneasiness started to rise as she went deeper into the city. Even if it was late, the downtown area was still bustling as if it were day time. Bars and restaurants were filled with those who craved the light of the moon rather than the blinding beams of the sun.

Keeping her eyes to the ground, Marianne weaved between people, not wanting to get hit by some blind stranger. While she never went out late often, when she did, she gravitated towards the park closest to her home. It was one of the few places that weren't popular to visit once the sun set, and therefore fewer people to get in her way.

The lights that were scattered along the main path of the park lit up the area enough for those to see where they were going, but not enough to illuminate the farther reaches of the trees.

There were a few couples that were taking a nighttime stroll in the light of the full moon, so Marianne took one of the smaller paths to avoid them. While they weren't as well lit, she was still able to see where she was going well enough that she didn't feel scared in the dark. With hands shoved deep in her coat pockets, Marianne dragged her feet across the smooth concrete.

As she approached a lone bench, Marianne sat down, crossing both her arms and her legs. Leaning her head back, she stared up at the stars that twinkled carefree in the sky. Focusing her gaze on one random star, she let her thoughts take control, and emotions she had been feeling came crashing back on her.

The look in his eyes. She couldn't get rid of the image. The contempt he held, the utter hatred. She was sure that her eyes weren't any different, but knowing that time hadn't healed any of the wounds they had inflicted on each other was a hard reality to face. He wasn't ready to forgive her for what she had done. But then again, she knew she wasn't ready to forgive him for what he had done to her.

"And here I thought my luck couldn't get worse. First I see you after you've abandoned us for so many years, and now you're everywhere I go."

A harsh voice pulled Marianne from her thoughts, and even with her eyes closed, she knew exactly who interrupted her. Opening her eyes into thin slits, Marianne rolled her head to the side to see the last person that she wanted right now. Cobalt eyes pierced her to her very soul, but she glared back with just as much force.

"You could have just walked on Seto, it's not my problem that you decided to stop and make a scene."

"That may be true, but if I did then I wouldn't get the answers that I want." Venom dripped from Seto's every word, and Marianne could feel herself faltering under his intense gaze. "And don't call me Seto. The only person allowed to do that is Mokuba."

"I'll call you whatever I want, and I won't call you by that last name," Marianne retorted. "Now ask what you want to ask little brother. That way we can make this exchange quicker.

"You gave up the right to call me brother," Seto snapped, his face contorting in anger, and his fists clenching at his side. "You stopped being our sister the moment you decided to abandon us."

"I did not abandon you!" Marianne yelled as she stood to her feet.

"Then what did you do!" Seto yelled back. "Because as far as I'm concerned you left us with no good reason. If you had just stayed and trusted in me, we could have all been together. But no, you decided you would be better off without us."

"How was I supposed to know that Gozaburo would go there?" Marianne retorted. "How was I supposed to know anything?"

"You didn't have to know anything, you just needed to trust in your family!"

"That wasn't about trust Seto, it was about so much more. It was about me having a chance at a life after ours was destroyed. It was about me being able to get out of that orphanage to be with a family that cared about me and did everything to keep me safe. I don't think you could say the same. Would you have wanted to subject me to living with that monster when I had a much better option?" Shaking her head, Marianne said, "And the fact that you can't see that even now is more disappointing than anything."

"And you would leave us to fend for ourselves?" Seto retorted. "You can't even imagine the things that I went through while I was growing up. You could have been there. You could have helped us through it. But no. You chose to leave."

"I don't have to listen to any of this," Marianne scoffed as she started to walk away. In her heart, she knew that he was right, but her pride wouldn't let her admit it to him.

"Why do you think you have any right to be angry with me?" Seto questioned. "You're not the one that was wronged in this situation."

"That's where you're wrong Seto," Marianne answered, turning back to face her younger brother once again. "I have a very good reason to be angry with you."

"Is that so? Then why don't you inform the class on what it is, because I sure as hell don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't have to explain anything to you." Turning away from Seto, Marianne continued to walk away. "If you don't already know, then that isn't my problem. Just know that I'm well aware that you are no longer the brother that I once knew and loved. And I don't know if I can love what you have become."

Marianne heard Seto yell something else, but her head was focused on other things. Memories flashed through her mind, clouding her judgement and her actions, and she was well aware of that. Seto wasn't the only one in the family that had an awful stubborn streak.

Part of her was glad that Seto chose to not follow her, but another part of her wanted him to follow. Wanted him to continue to confront her. Make her confront herself and her own decisions. Marianne had buried so many things so long ago that even she was unsure of what she thought and what she wanted to do.

Knowing that it was pointless to try and figure things out immediately when she was still steaming in anger, Marianne made a beeline straight back to her house. Home was where she felt safest, where she felt the most sure of herself.

Before stepping inside, Marianne took a deep breath to try and calm herself. She hadn't realized how fast her heart was beating, or how badly her hands were shaking. After settling her heart and body, she opened the door and shut it as quietly as she could so she wouldn't wake Brendan up.

With gentle steps, Marianne went straight to her room, and plopped down on her bed, not even caring to get changed into her sleeping clothes. Burying herself in her blankets, Marianne tried to quiet her mind, but to no avail. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stop the whispers and memories from scratching at her brain. She knew full and well that she would get little to no sleep that night, so instead of trying to fight off her demons, Marianne allowed them to consume her.

* * *

There were two things that were certain in Seto Kaiba's mind. One was that Mokuba was the most important thing in the world, and two was that Joey Wheeler was an awful duelist. Anything other than that fell into the territory of uncertainty, and it was that uncertainty that caused him the most grief.

When Mokuba told him to take a short break from work, Seto knew that was a sure fire way for him to get caught up in something that he didn't want any part of. Sure enough, he had found himself in the clutches of the idiots that always wanted to make his life just a little more annoying than it already was.

While he had found himself tolerating Yugi and some of his friends a little more over the years, Seto could never find the patience in himself to tolerate Joey Wheeler. That idiot always got a rise out of him, and that was something that Seto despised the most. Even his cool, calm, and collected demeanor wavered in the stupidity that was Wheeler.

Seto never thought that he would see someone who could make his blood boil more than Joey Wheeler, but that damn uncertainty reared its ugly head. Of all the people he could have run into, it just had to be her. And of all the people that she could have been with, it just had to be them.

He could deal with seeing her just once and ridding her from his life just as she did to him, but that wasn't how the world treated Seto Kaiba. If there was something to upset his fragile balance, it would be thrown at him.

Thinking that some fresh air would do him some good after seeing his estranged older sister again after years, Seto couldn't have predicted that Marianne would be on his path once again. The anger that rose in him was one that he hadn't felt since Gozaburo had been alive. And the way that she walked off without explaining anything or giving him any answers. He couldn't forgive her.

As he returned to his manor after steaming some more in the park, Seto immediately went up to his office. Mokuba was home, and the only place that he knew not to bother Seto in was his office unless it was very important. Slamming the door behind him, Seto paced around the room, avoiding the couch that sat in the middle of the room, and walking around the small tables situated here and there.

" _I don't know if I can love what you have become."_

"You don't know a damn thing that you're talking about!" Seto yelled, slamming his fist on his desk as he passed by it. "You don't know anything!" At this point, he didn't even care if Mokuba could hear his tirade, he couldn't keep it inside him.

Seto had never cared how people looked at him. They hated him? It didn't matter because he felt the same way. They thought he was a monster? So be it, Mokuba knew who he was and that was all that mattered to him. Yet for the life of him, he couldn't get Marianne's words out of his head.

" _What you've become."_

"The only thing that I've become is stronger," Seto hissed to himself. "You weren't there to protect us, so I had to do it. Whatever you think I've become, it's your fault for not being here with us."

" _I don't have to explain anything to you."_

"Yes you do!" Leaning both his hands against his desk, Seto dropped his gaze to the ground, his face scrunched up in rage. "We deserve the right to know everything. Family is supposed to tell each other everything."

" _I had a much better option."_

"If leaving us was considered a better option, then I see no better option than leaving you in the past where you belong. You're nothing to me anymore Marianne. Nothing."


End file.
